


Distraction

by tiberiusirius



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Prank Wars, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Sexual Content, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Teasing, Touching, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-03-01
Packaged: 2018-01-14 03:43:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1251505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiberiusirius/pseuds/tiberiusirius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe instigation of something I could never hope to finish was a foolish endeavor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distraction

  
I was never known to be conservative. I had made a reputation for myself as somewhat of a mischievous deviant, always taking the piss out of someone—namely men. You see I had always been slightly pervy, and unlike many girls, when guys actually had the courage to come up to me, I wasn’t one to shoot them down callously. Instead I would usually have a bit of fun repartee while still managing to refuse. Who was I to be ungrateful for the self-esteem boost they offered? The very least I could do was return the favor even if I wasn’t interested, so that’s what I did.   
  
   
  
Sure sometimes it appeared as if I had less than honorable morals, and yes I had been privy to a romp or two in a broomcupboard on more than one occasion. However, those were very limited events and most knew me as simply overly friendly, if nothing short of entertaining in my flirtation.  
  
   
  
It was probably for these reasons that the part I played in our scheme seemed to work so well. I just never thought it would come to this endgame. Sure I knew Sirius Black was just a big of a philanderer as I was, but I never thought I could be so vulnerable to his efforts given my own predisposition. To say I had miscalculated would be a vast understatement. It was my entire being that was now paying the price.  
  
   
  
Coming into my seventh year, my friends and I shared a promise. It was our time to be reckless, our opportunity to have the best year of our lives. We would do things that we would normally shy away from, and we would have more fun than we ever had. It was our last chance to act childish and be stupid and we had to take it. The world outside of Hogwarts just wouldn’t allow for such frivolity. One misstep in this political climate and you could find yourself at the wrong end of an Unforgivable. We needed our chance to be silly and mischievous and this was it.  
  
   
  
Most of us relished the idea of acting out and getting into a bit of trouble. Lily had always been on the straight and narrow, but now even  _she_ had climbed on the bandwagon. It hadn’t been that hard to convince her either. Seven years of watching the Marauders have all the fun, and often times at other peoples expense, was enough motivation for all of us. We were determined to give them a run for their money, and we did. However my underestimation was the end of it all. How could I have anticipated my own susceptibility?  
  
   
  
Our plans had been carefully laid from the beginning. Over summer we had gotten together and discussed what roles we would be playing and what the progression should be. We had decided to leave Lupin out of it because he always seemed to be trying to talk his friends out of their schemes, plus he was good company and an excellent study resource. Peter wasn’t targeted either because the poor bloke just seemed to be used as a whipping boy. It was James and Sirius we wanted to have a go at, but it wasn’t going to be easy. They both had an eye for troublemaking and could see a plan coming together a mile away. We needed to be careful; we needed distractions.   
  
   
  
It was easy to figure out how to distract James. He had a way of sidetracking himself by just being in the presence of one spicy redhead. Sirius was another matter entirely, and that’s where I came in.   
  
   
  
Like I said before, I was never known to be conservative. Most people knew me as a shameless, albeit, harmless flirt. Sirius and I had always enjoyed sharing a bit of innuendo between friends, but it was always in passing and just for laughs. No one ever acted upon it, nor did we think the other wished anything to transpire. Now however, I needed to take it to the next level. I needed to make him too bewildered to see what we were on about. That way we could get him and James out of the way in order for Marlene and Dorcas to do the dirty work and beat them at their own game. It seemed like the groundwork was laid for a good year, and it did start out that way. I should’ve figured things at Hogwarts would twist in an unlikely direction. Though in all honestly it was a direction that I really should’ve seen coming.   
  
   
  
Initially we wanted to ease our way into things. We felt like we needed to work our way up to the harder pranks and gain some confidence in the process. Our first hoax would be the easiest, and there wouldn’t really be a need for serious diversion tactics, just lookouts. However, not everything always goes as planned. It was necessary for Lily and I to test our strength as distractions earlier than anticipated.   
  
   
  
It was impromptu of course, but to be honest I think it was those first maneuvers that really set the foundation for the success of our other pranks. Then again those actions also marked the beginning of the series of blunders on my part that let to my current predicament. It was in that first attempt to distract him that I got my hook into him and set the precedent for our interactions over the year.  
  
   
  
It was two weeks into the school year when we decided to wage war. We had done our reconnaissance prior to D-Day so we knew what their schedules were like, when they would be coming and going from their dorms, and also when the Common Room was at it’s emptiest. We laid our plans wisely, even going so far as brew some potions in advance and synchronize our prank attempt with certain lesson plans, in this case an Advanced Potions lesson.  
  
   
  
You see only Lily and I were taking the class, while Marlene and Dorcas had a free period. Around this time also happened to be when the common room was the least active, it was the perfect opportunity. We also just so happened to know we would be working on a Skelegrow potion that day, and that adding ferrets spleen directly after the bubotuber puss would cause the potion to explode. Of course, it had taken some time to convince Lily that her grade wasn’t going to suffer all that much due to one messed up potion, but we eventually did. I can still remember that day vividly; it was the start of my unintentional emotional ruination.  
  
   
  
Our Skelegrow potion was coming along like any Lily Evans endeavor—perfectly. However, that was all about to change due to the cut up ferrets spleen I held in my hand. Before I threw the catalyst into the cauldron, I glanced at Lily. We both braced ourselves.   
  
   
  
It took a moment, but all at once our potion was frothing angrily and then exploding violently. We knew it was going to hurt, and we were prepared for it, but not necessarily it’s extent. Our skin was being burnt away, and if it weren’t for the quick action of Slughorn things would have gone much worse.  
  
   
  
 Almost immediately we were being sprayed with the Aquamenti charm and the potion was being washed off our skins. The burning stopped, but the pain didn’t, and we were dismissed to go to the hospital wing and seek treatment. We left but we didn’t head to Madame Pompfrey.   
  
   
  
Instead, we rounded the first corner and entered a bathroom where Lily began digging in her purse for the salve we had made the week before. Once she found it we were stripping off our clothes and rubbing it into our wounds and all over to make the pain stop, assisting each other where we couldn’t reach ourselves. It took about ten minutes to work, but we had allotted for the time. Once it was done we headed back up to the tower to check in before beginning our duty as lookouts.    
  
   
  
Marlene and Dorcas were well under way with laying the charms that would distinguish between roomates; it was this first step and the hardest. In the two weeks before, we had slaved away preparing potions that captured the essence of Sirius and James, it was a modified polyjuice type potion that took less work but was still time consuming. We made more than enough for this prank, and several others just in case, but it was weaving these two potions into the fabric of a detection charm that proved the most difficult. After that it was only a matter of crafting a positive detection result to trigger the aquamenti charm to soak their clothes, followed by a powder charm to successfully antique them every time the exited their dorm. The thought of seeing James and Sirius wet and coated in a layer of powder every time they tried to get dressed in the morning, retrieve a book, or change for Quidditch practice had us giggling in anticipation for our prank. Especially now that it was being executed.   
  
   
  
When we finally got to the tower having escaped Advanced Potions, Marlene was done crafting the James detection while Dorcas was having some trouble with Sirius. We told them to stay calm and keep at it, and that to come meet us at our look out point when they were done as per the plan.   
  
   
  
It was fifteen minutes until the end of the class period when Lily and I took up post at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the Gryffindor Common Room. It should’ve been just enough time for everything to go off without a hitch, but just in case we were there to stop the boys from entering too soon.   
  
   
  
Those fifteen minutes came and went entirely to fast, and without a sign of Marlene or Dorcas. I could see Lily getting antsy next to me and smiled reassuringly at her, about to offer some kind words when the unmistakable uproarious laughter of James, and the bark like mirth of Sirius, could be heard coming up the hall towards us.   
  
   
  
Immediately I bent over to act as if I were tying my shoe and looked up at Lily to tell her to go along with it. When I heard the distinctive wolf whistle of one Mr. Black I could only hope my plan would be successful.  
  
   
  
“What a view!” said a cocky arrogant voice that was all too familiarly Sirius.   
  
   
  
Normally I would roll my eyes playfully and tell him to enjoy it while he still could, but this time things were different, this time I needed to stall him. I stayed bent over where I was pretending to continue and tie my shoe. “Oh you like that do you?” I asked coyly. I heard them slow as they approached and looked back to see Sirius grinning with his head cocked to the side, his posture slouched, and his eyes directed at my derriere hoping to see beneath my hem line. I stood up straight turning to face them while I shook my head knowingly at Sirius’s single minded-ness. I let an outwardly pleased expression grace my features hoping to pretend as if I enjoyed his lecherous looks.   
  
   
  
Sirius bought into it and smirked more, “Who wouldn’t like that?” he questioned happily, his eyes twinkling at my apparent pleasure. I smiled beguilingly as my only response, refusing to break eye contact with him, creating a noticeable tension.   
  
   
  
His eyes began to smolder, a question there, almost to ask what I was playing at. I could see suspicion beginning to take root so I made as subtle a move as I could. I ducked my gaze bashfully, and looked up through my lashes a healthy blush in my cheeks. I was relieved to see the wariness melt away from his gaze to be replaced with something indiscernible, but it almost looked like hopeful surprise.   
  
   
  
The silence was long and intense, but James broke it. He tried to engage Lily in conversation in order to redirect his attention from the exchange Sirius and I were having. He was attempting to alleviate the awkwardness he was feeling. “So...I see Madame Pompfrey fixed you up well and good. What happened to your potion anyways?” he asked.  
  
   
  
Lily was silent for a moment, and I looked over at her noticing that she had a gob smacked look on her face as she looked between Sirius and I. Apparently my distraction tactics were a bit too realistic for her and were distracting her from  _her_  distraction tactics. Even she was buying into my shy act thinking maybe I had a thing for him.  
  
   
  
Her reaction only added to the credibility of my supposedly unrequited feelings. I took it all in stride looking at James, “You know, Lily and I were discussing it, and the only thing we could come up with was that maybe one of the bottles were mislabeled.” I switched my gaze back to Sirius, a small, shy smile gliding its way onto my lips before I looked to the ground chastely, “I’m sure you guys know that Slughorn has students rearrange and label his stockroom during detentions.”  
  
   
  
Lily finally caught up, shaking herself from her stupor to add a coherent thought. “Yeah I’m pretty sure that the mandrake bladder Lacey was adding was really ferrets spleen.”  
  
   
  
Both James and Sirius in took a sharp breath grimacing as they realized what had happened in class. “Oh wow that’s unfortunate.” Said James “I bet if you tell Slughorn what happened he’d be more than happy to let you both make it up. I mean Lily is one of his favorites, I think he’d understand if you really think the bottles were mislabeled.”   
  
   
  
His words made Lily color slightly, but she didn’t say a word so I had to, “We were planning on going there now on our way to down to lunch actually. We were just waiting for Dorcas and Marlene, they said they’d walk with us to the entrance hall.”  
  
   
  
“Ah.” Said Sirius a captivated smile still on his lips as his attention was still directed at me. “How very convenient for me that your shoe just happened to come untied.” he trailed off thoughtfully expecting me to say something cleverly inappropriate.  
  
   
  
Instead I managed to blush more, thankful to hear the portrait hole open behind me. I knew I was acting out of character for my normally pervy self, but I was counting on that to confound him into reading into it. I looked to make sure it was Marlene and Dorcas before adding, bashfully “We’ll see you at lunch then I wager.”   
  
   
  
James nodded and said his goodbyes as our groups went to go around each other and our separate ways. Sirius however, grabbed me by my upper arm as I went to step around him, halting me where I was with a bemused smile on his face. “What’s gotten into you? No suggestive little comeback? You really have nothing for me?” He questioned a gleam in his eyes.  
  
   
  
I bit my lip looking up at him through lashes, eyes wide and appearing a bit anxious, “Maybe I don’t have any snarky comments left for you...” I began before leaning slightly closer, making certain to seem somewhat nervous while still biting my lip alluringly. “Maybe all I have let for you is… _me_.”   
  
   
  
I didn’t look Sirius in the eye as I essentially offered myself to him. But when I did peek up at him I saw his shock and something else, something indiscernible. He was practically begging me to meet his eyes. Instead I immediately had to look back down, and before he could respond I took off leaving him to marinate in my words in disbelief. I sauntered off towards the great hall well assured that he knew my meaning and that my extreme tactics had been enough to distract them from our real intentions.   
  
   
  
The first prank went off without a hitch and had James and Sirius fuming trying to find out who had successfully gotten the better of them; they never did. Instead they spent a tireless two weeks trying to undo the effects of our handiwork. They eventually were able to do so, but for the time period in between, they had to get Remus and Peter to move all their toiletries and clothing to the sixth year boys dorm so they could shower and get dressed without having to worry about starting all over again with their morning routine due to being covered in flour. It was pretty funny to see them try and sprint through the door hoping they wouldn’t get sprayed. One time they even tried to employ an umbrella to escape it. None of it worked. By the end of it though they almost seemed to be used to it. They would just march through their doorway gruffly knowing it was inevitable. It was priceless really to see them all worked up, clueless as to who had pranked them. It was especially frustrating to them that Remus and Peter seemed not to have been targeted. They were still talking about it for weeks while we had moved on to our next endeavor.   
  
    
  
The second prank was a bit more tricky considering we weren’t yet willing to take the risk of outing ourselves. We wanted to remain as inconspicuous as possible, especially because we knew they would be extremely displeased for what we had in store. Regardless the effects were hilarious.  
  
   
  
Messing with a Quidditch players broom is pretty much sacrilege, but we did it anyways. It wasn’t the spellwork that was going to be difficult this time, it was the distraction that was going to be hard. The plan was to grease up their broom shafts with a lubricating potion that would make it impossible to stay on when they went to run this years tryouts. The risk would be well worth it to see them look like novices in front of Quidditch hopefuls. The issue we faced was the locker rooms where all the brooms were kept only opened at times when a captain had reserved the pitch; our window for execution was going to be small and distraction was going to be necessary to keep them out.   
  
   
  
The day of Quidditch tryouts, we started for the pitch a bit early. Marlene had been on the team since third year, so even if she were in the locker room slightly before James and Sirius, it wouldn’t look that suspicious. Unfortunately, that meant Dorcas was going to have to hide there until we gave her a signal and she could sneak out. The amount of time we had to work with would all depend on our acting skills as a group. We had to play it off right.  
  
   
  
We stopped about thirty meters from the doors to the castle in order to stage the scene and wait for our victims. We knew James and Sirius always left the common room fifteen minutes before practice, so we left twenty-five minutes before tryouts were due to start, in order to give ourselves ten minutes to prepare. I can still remember it all like it was yesterday.   
  
   
  
Once outside, Lily actually began to stretch. It was quite laughable really, but her roll was pivotal so I left her to it. She wasn’t going to have to act that off character, so she should be able to play it off naturally; we had hope. With five minutes to spare, we began the charade. We all started running around wildly, Lily chasing after us three while we played keep away with her charms book and wand. When we finally saw James and Sirius headed our way, it was as if a proverbial ‘action’ had been called, and the scene was set.  
  
   
  
“Give me back my wand or so help me Merlin, I’ll make you lot pay!” yelled Lily in what looked to be a real rage.  
  
   
  
“Quick toss it here Lacey!” yelled Dorcas as I laughingly ran away from Lily.  
  
   
  
She looked to be hot on my heels, and just as she pounced to take me down and get her wand back, I tossed it to Dorcas who caught it as planned. Her and Marlene ran off towards the Quidditch pitch looking like they were going to hide Lily’s belongings, when in reality they were to do their part.   
  
   
  
Looking livid, but on the ground with no chance of catching up to the friends in possession of her belongings, Lily turned her supposed rage on me. I scrambled to my feet, a happy smile on my face as I tried to get away from my angry friend and her yells.  
  
   
  
“Get back here you sodding prat!” she yelled after me as I ran away from her, keeping an eye on her whereabouts while doing my best to appear as if I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. She kept up the act, “I swear if anything happens to my charms book or my wand I’ll make you pay!”   
  
   
  
I just laughed and continued to run away from her pretending not to realize I was running straight towards Sirius. “Lily we will give you back your stuff after Qudditch tryo—umph!” The end of my sentence was cut of as I ran full speed into Sirius, taking him to the ground and landing on top of him. He looked mildly surprised but not at all unhappy, his characteristic smirk was plastered on his face. I on the other hand managed to look surprised enough that he bought it, thanks to Lily’s help.   
  
   
  
Once I fell she had the sense to continue with the charade, “Ha! I have you now,” she said running towards me still, “I hope you’re prepared for the beating of a lifetime!”  
  
   
  
On top of Sirius I managed to look sufficiently scared as I tried to scramble off of him. “Shit!” I muttered frightened of Lily as I tried to get up. She actually lunged at me and she would have tackled me, dragging me off of Sirius to the ground, had it not been for the boys.   
  
   
  
James looped arms around the redhead’s waist catching her mid air and pulling her to the side, while Sirius rolled us both laterally out of her path essentially reversing our position relative to each other; he was now on top of me grinning devilishly. Lily could still be heard screaming threats in the background.  
  
   
  
I smirked knowing our plan was going along swimmingly and played into it even more. “Sorry I ran into you…although…nevermind” I blushed trailing off shyly.  
  
   
  
Sirius grinned, “Out with it, Lacey. I miss your suggestive little comments.”  
  
   
  
“Well it’s just…” I gave him a small begrudging grin before looking into his eyes. ”I could probably get used to this position.” I hummed playfully from my position on my back as he continued to hover over me protectively.  
  
   
  
He laughed, his smirk growing larger if it was at all possible. “I think I could grow to like it as well, but alas I have Quidditch to get to.” He stared for a moment, the impish grin still on his face, before he looked over at James, “You have a hold on her Prongs? Is it safe to let Lacey up?” he questioned his friend.  
  
   
  
“For the time being!” James grunted trying to keep his grip on Lily who looked so authentic she could have been nominated for an academy award.  
  
   
  
 “Let me go!” she yelled struggling fruitlessly “You can’t hold me forever! I need my wand and my book back! I have homework to bloody well get to!”   
  
   
  
Sirius helped me to my feet and I faced Lily with him at my back. “Oh come off it Lils, we just wanted you to spend an hour watching tryouts with us! We’re supposed to have some good prospects this year!”  
  
   
  
She lunged again, James just managing to grab her and hold her off. I backed directly into Sirius trying to stay out of reach of Lily. For a moment all of my body was pressed up against his, but then grabbed me by the hips and shuffled me off to the side, putting me half behind him defensively so I was out of my friends reach. Still, I noticed he managed to never leave body contact. “Merlin Evans, just come watch one practice will you? It’s not like you can’t study charms in an hour!”  
  
   
  
“Sodd off Sirius!” she yelled at him, I could have applauded her skills right there. “How do I even know they will give my things back by then!”  
  
   
  
James was the one who answered this time. “You know they are going to return your things because they bloody well don’t want to get murdered in their sleep Lily!”  
  
   
  
“Yeah.” I yelled trying to sound meek as I peeked out from my place behind Sirius, my hands on either side of his back prepared to use him as a shield if necessary.   
  
   
  
Lily pretended like that quelled her a wee bit. “Fine,  _after_  Quidditch!” she said glaring at me before she turned around in James’s grip trying to straighten her clothes out. He let go of her cautiously listening to her words. “Sorry to drag you into that Potter. I know you have places to be and don’t need to be mediating between me and my thieving friends.”  
  
   
  
James smiled brightly at her, “That’s the beauty of being Quidditch Captain, you can’t be late. Besides helping you out is never a problem, especially if you look like you’re about to murder your friends. Wouldn’t want you to end up in Azkaban.” He finished brightly.  
  
   
  
From my position behind Sirius I antagonized the situation a bit trying to buy Marlene and Dorcas a bit more time. “I can see the headline now….. _Lily Evans Sentenced to Fifteen Years For Murder Committed Over Stolen Charms Book_!” I announced stepping next to Sirius my hands motioning as if the newspaper were in front of me. Lily turned around and took a threatening step towards me, her fake anger renewed. The boys were there to prevent the fight.   
  
   
  
Sirius pushed me back behind him while James grabbed Lily by the hand and spun her back towards him. She landed in his arms, a healthy blush entering her cheeks. A moment of silence ensued as James held Lily there smiling down at her as she managed to look abashed. I could tell that she wasn’t acting. “Holy shit, would you look at that.” I whispered from behind Sirius. Apparently he heard me.  
  
   
  
He turned around beaming, happy that James seemed to finally be scoring some points with Lily. I thought at first he was just trying to give them their moment, but I should’ve known better. He was always an opportunist. He raised his eyebrows at me before grabbing me by the waist and pulling me into an embrace similar to what was being shared by our friends. “Didn’t want you to get jealous from lack of action.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.  
  
   
  
I fed into it playing my part. I pretended to be flustered as I fidgeted in his embrace, managing to press my body up against his while running my hands up his chest and feeling the strong rippling muscles underneath. I almost lost my charade feeling his shiver of enjoyment. I collected myself with a gulp, stuttering slightly as I said, “but alas, you have Quidditch to get to.” I had to blink a couple times to tell myself this was all for a purpose and not to allow myself to think it was something more.  
  
   
  
He laughed, his smirk and his eyes displaying a heat I hadn’t ever seen before. “Merlin Lacey are you sure you’re the same girl that made Frank Longbottom fall down the stairs with a flip of your skirt… Since when have you been shy?” He questioned his eyes sparkling with something that resembled desire.  
  
   
  
I couldn’t help the snort that escaped, and I slapped a hand over my mouth looking slightly embarrassed. It really was quite preposterous to picture myself as shy, but I guess I was doing well in my role. He just smirked widely not at all turned off by my ungraceful moment. He was chuckling softly when he turned to James who had just let go of Lily and was looking the happiest I had ever seen him.   
  
   
  
They bid us goodbye and jogged the rest of the way to the locker room as we walked slowly to the stands only to find Dorcas there waiting. She commended us on our distraction skills and was extremely thankful she didn’t have to hide in the ‘filthy locker room’ for the duration of the practice. Together we watched as our efforts paid off.   
  
   
  
It wasn’t a minute into practice when Sirius tried to get on his broom. He frowned trying to find his seat, and when he couldn’t he just went ahead and kicked off the ground only to slide straight off once he was three feet in the air and land on his face. Disgruntled he got back up to try again. He continued on for several minutes with no success looking extremely clumsy until James began yelling that he wasn’t setting a good example for the new recruits.   
  
   
  
Watching Sirius continue to have difficulties, James tried to get on his own broom attempting to fly over and reprimand his friend. The outcome was similarly hilarious but much more intense. He hopped on his broom and lay flat hoping to zoom over to his friend, however he only succeeded in staying on for a mere moment before he fell to ground where he had been standing and had to watch his broom zip off towards his friend with the momentum of his intentions. The broom nearly speared Sirius. James frowned looking embarrassed and went to fetch it. When he did, he picked it up and found a seat cautiously, attempting to hover six feet in the air. He managed it for a split second before he rolled to the underside of his broom where he lost his grip and fell to the ground in a heap. The broom fell on top of him, thumping him in the head hilariously.   
  
   
  


  
All the recruits were trying to remain collected but it was hard as they watched the two seventh years try to mount their brooms only to fall off like first time flyers. It wasn’t long before everyone in the stands and on the field were laughing at their troubles. James on the other hand wasn’t laughing; he looked absolutely livid as he marched off the field calling off practice until he could find ‘the right stupid bloke who was senseless enough to mess with a Marauders broom’. Apparently he was promising some pretty nasty retaliation.

  
  
   
  
For the weeks after the broomstick incident James and Sirius were on the hunt for whoever had bested them. They tried relentlessly to puzzle out who it was but they never came up with any answers, it was really wearing on their nerves and they were constantly looking around in suspicion.   
  
   
  
I mean, no one in all their seven years at Hogwarts had managed to beat them at their own game. If a prank was played on them it, its effects had never lasted longer than a few hours let alone days. Now, in their seventh year no less, we had managed to antique them everyday for two weeks before they figured out how to remove our charms, not to mention prevent them from riding their brooms and acting like Gods gift to Quidditch. Everything was going better than we hoped and Halloween was just around the corner.   
  
   
  
We had shared our pranking with all of Gryffindor, now it was time to share it with all of Hogwarts; the Halloween feast would serve as our venue. Our plan was designed to give them a little bit of a refresher course in what we had already subjected them to, while making it available for the whole school to see and still giving them their own new frustrating experience.   
  
   
  
All in all it required a lot of planning and a lot of work. In the weeks leading up to it we were confined to our dorm making wee little changes to spellwork and tweaking things to be just right. It wasn’t easy figuring out how to get the lubricating spell to activate only for James and Sirius, and working with a plate instead of a dorm entrance proved difficult as a means for administering a proper antiquing. In the end we had used up the rest of our essence potions, and wouldn’t have anymore to use in future pranks. Even so, we were one hundred percent sure that any silverware they picked up at the feast would slip right out of their fingers, and that when they tried to eat with their hands and touched their plate, they would be shot in the face with flour. The trick was in accomplishing the other part of the prank.  
  
   
  
There wasn’t going to be a huge window of opportunity in between them leaving Gryffindor tower, and them storming back angrily after they failed to participate in any feasting. We weren’t going to have a great deal of time to accomplish what we wanted to do. Plus sneaking up into their dorm without being seen was going to be near impossible. It was because of this that we kind of had to play everything by ear.   
  
   
  
The night of the feast was a Sunday, so we stayed in the Common Room from the time we got back from lunch, keeping tabs on James and Sirius’s comings and goings while getting some homework done. They came back from Quidditch practice looking tired and hungry, and emerged from their dorm only a bit later after having showered, hoping to head down to dinner. Once they had collected Remus and Peter, they all exited the portrait hole and we immediately began to put our plans to the test.   
  
   
  
Many people had already headed down to the feast, but those that hadn’t were still milling about the common room. This had to be remedied, and once it was someone was going to need to act as look out to make sure no one returned. Earlier in the week we had strategically placed dungbombs underneath the girls’ staircase, and from the place at our table we could safely trigger it without drawing attention to ourselves as the culprits.   
  
   
  
Once we did, a loud warning shout of “Dungbomb!” as everyone witnessed a huge billowing cloud of acrid smelling smoke ebbing towards them sent them running for the portrait hole. We were alone in what seemed to be only seconds and were on our feet heading to our respective tasks.   
  
   
  
Lily and I headed after the crowd to act as sentries while Marlene and Dorcas proceeded to the boys dorm equipped with the knowledge of a charm that would wrap all of a persons belongings in aluminum foil, as well as a sticking charm that made it only possible to remove said foil by hand and not magic. The plan was designed to take three minutes or less and enable us to rendezvous outside the common room and make it to the sixth floor secret passage within that period. From there we could arrive at the Great Hall  _before_  the throng of Gryffindors who we chased out did, thus giving us an alibi to say we weren’t the last ones in the common room.   
  
   
  
It was quite perfectly executed, and we even made it down to the feast in time to see James and Sirius fall prey to our plans. The frowns on the two boys faces as they tried to grip their utensils was priceless, and although they looked very anxious that something else might happen to them given a similar experience with broomsticks, the promise of a Hogwarts feast was too much for them to pass up and they began digging in with their hands. Timed perfectly, James was blasted in the face with flour followed immediately by Sirius. They both looked momentarily stunned but began coughing and sneezing soon after trying to get the flour out of their air passageways.   
  
   
  
The hall seemed to go quiet progressively, as more and more people became aware of what had just happened to the two golden boys. Slowly everyone started laughing, but when they got up to dust themselves off, the laughter became louder. Especially from where we were sitting at the table, for as we watched them angrily march out of the hall, we were all too aware that when they got up to their dorm they would be unwrapping an awful lot of tinfoil in order to find a change of clothes.  
  
   
  
I think it goes unsaid that they were furious and pretty much on a witch-hunt for whoever was schooling them. But it wasn’t until we were already making preparations for our next prank that we began to notice the Marauders were beginning to regard us with a bit too much mistrust. It wasn’t a huge deal, it just meant we were going to have to take claim for our deeds one prank earlier than planned and we’d have to switch some things around. Luckily for us it worked out even better than originally intended.  
  
   
  
The scheme we had anticipated as our last prank involved admitting our deeds in order to get close enough to plant a trigger on their person which would cause problems for them later on in the day. In order to do this successfully, a creature or plant of some sort was called for that could easily be manipulated into a frenzy by some type of food source or pheromone. Lucky for us, it just so happened that bumping our plans up aligned with a week of Care of Magical Creatures lessons in which Kettleburn was bringing in Threstles. This was convenient in the fact that, not only could we forgo breaking into the potions storeroom because all we needed for a scent potion was raw meat, but it would also be a great deal more enjoyable to watch considering the boys would be trying to scramble away from  _invisible_  animals. All we needed to do was lie in wait until they approached us with their suspicions and be prepared to implement action.   
  
   
  
For that week, each of us carried around a dropper bottle strapped to our thighs by garter belts—all of us were armed with a potion we had crafted to emulate the scent of raw meat. We knew it wouldn’t be long until James and Sirius came to accuse us of being the pranksters in order to gauge our reactions and figure out if we were lying. Our plan was to catch them off guard at that point in time by  _admitting_  it was us, rather than lying. Then, using their surprise against them as a distraction, we would discreetly douse them with the potion we made. All in all it was quite an exhilarating task, especially considering the angle I decided to take on it.      
  
   
  
They approached us on Friday morning looking like they were hoping to catch us off guard. Unfortunately for them we were highly alert because that day was the last we would privy to the presence of threstles in class and we were afraid we might need to come up with a contingency plan to make the prank work. I could hardly hold back my glee when James sat down next to Lily and Sirius sidled up next to me with a self-satisfied smirk gracing his lips. The contingency was not needed.  
  
   
  
While he concentrated much too intently on shoveling food onto his plate, I scooted closer to the table and fished under my skirt for the bottle. Carefully I let a few drops of the potion rest in the palm of hand preparing for the right time. When he finally decided he had enough of a food mountain on his plate, he stopped and turned to face me, smirk still in place. “I know it was you.” He said smugly.  
  
   
  
I looked at him coyly through lashes and returned his smirk, “Oh really?” I asked coolly not denying anything.  
  
   
  
He turned his full attention to me, haughtiness in full effect. “Oh yes, I know it was you.” He asserted before leaning himself electrically close to me so he could whisper into my ear, “And now all the shy, enamored actions finally make sense. It was all a distraction, it was all an act.” I was kind of surprised to hear a bit of anger in his voice. Surely he could take a prank considering how well he could dole them out.  
  
   
  
I tried not to let it effect me. I allowed myself a flash of mirth as I laid eyes on his, my gaze smoldering. “You caught us Sirius, we did it.” I said happily as I leaned closer to him touching his shoulder to mine chumily.   
  
   
  
He looked taken aback that I had actually admitted it, but the expression was gone in a moment only to be replace by a look of fury at having ousted me. “I knew it!” he practically growled at me. “I knew my suspicions were right.”  
  
   
  
I chuckled throatily making eye contact over my shoulder as I and pushed the side of my body into his leaning towards him, “You’re right about all but one thing love,” I purred at him as I let my potion filled hand grasp the inside of his thigh dangerously close to his groin. I felt his body stiffen immediately and saw the arousal in his eyes as I continued, “The provocative actions weren’t  _all_  for show.” Sirius didn’t need to say anything in response for me to gauge his thoughts.   
  
   
  
As I got up to go, sliding my fingers down the length of his leg towards his knee as I did, the tautness of his muscles and the stoic expression on his face communicated quite enough. My job was complete.  
  
   
  
 I saw Lily, Dorcas, and Marlene excusing themselves after my exit, and waited for them outside the hall. I was anxious to ask if Lily had been a success, and was happy to find out that she had managed to get James with a pat on the back. When asked if I had achieved my goal, I was rewarded with flabbergasted faces and a roar of scandalized laughter when I told them I had gotten Sirius in the crotch. After that, we raced to the common room to change and wash any traces of the potion off. We were all excited as we headed back down to class for what was, in my opinion, the most entertaining class of the year.    
  
   
  
Watching the confused looks on the faces of James and Sirius as they were accosted by animals they couldn’t see was pretty epic.  James had been daydreaming when he got nudged from behind, and he blamed it on Sirius initially. That is until the nudges became more insistent and he felt and heard a nose sniffing his back happily. Sirius on the other hand looked absolutely affronted as the indiscernible animal nuzzled his goods. He was hunched over holding himself, trying to back away while attempting to push the animal back with an outstretched arm. It got so bad they actually had to run away from it, making random patterns to escape from the assault. Unfortunately for James, he didn’t go unscathed. They were both retreating into the castle for safety, Kettleburn hot on their tails trying to wrangle the riled up animals, when one Threstle got ahold of his robes and ripped them off, shirt and all. He had to make his way back to the common room shirtless and he didn’t soon forget it; neither did the rest of Hogwarts.  
  
   
  
From then on we knew it was a waiting game until they struck back in retaliation. We had to be ready if we intended on foiling their plans. We weren’t sure if they were going to come at just one, or all of us, but we knew from past experience they preferred to dole out humiliation individually. Perhaps they thought the embarrassment would go deeper and last longer if they did. Regardless, I had suspicions that either Lily or myself would be the first target, and considering James probably wouldn’t want to make an example out of Lily, I was the odds on bet. I only confirmed my thoughts when Sirius pretty much told me I would be the target.  
  
   
  
We had been making a point to stay together in a four person group, and were being quite careful about everything we did. So when in Potions one day I saw Sirius and James waiting for us in the storeroom to collect ingredients, I knew it was on. On the brightside however, it just so happened that Lily and I had planned and practiced for this exact situation. We had made a point to think up and plan for every situation we could imagine where they could isolate us in lessons.  
  
   
  
Approaching the door to storage room we stopped just outside. I raised my eyebrows as we approached earning an arrogant smirk from Sirius and a small frown from James. “To what to we owe this honor gentlemen?” I asked a grin on my face.   
  
   
  
Sirius answered, his smirk turning into an attractive jeer, “Oh the honors is all ours, just thought we should congratulate you on your successes.” He said snidely.  
  
   
  
Lily and I shared a look before she spoke. “Congratulations? That’s it? No threats?” she asked crossing her arms over her breasts.  
  
   
  
Sirius only glanced her way briefly as she spoke before turning back and capturing my gaze once more, a fire in his own. “I think the threat go unsaid” he explained, “You know, seeing as how revenge is kind of our thing.”  
  
   
  
“Oh really is it?” I smiled evilly, grasping my wand in my pocket preparing to strike. “Because I think you’re failing to remember one thing.”  
  
   
  
Sirius and James shared a frown. “What could that possibly be?” Sirius asked disinterestedly. His disregard was ill timed.  
  
   
  
I smiled at him flippantly, “Yes well, you see,” My gaze turned mischievous “taking you by surprise…it’s kind of our thing.” At the end of my words I drew my wand, rapidly murmuring “Muffilato” as I flicked my wrist and effectively silenced them.   
  
   
  
Seeing my movements, Lily, with the reflexes of a cobra, used a barrier charm to erect a solid obstacle they couldn’t get past physically or with magic. They were locked in and silenced, but to ensure they stayed there for a long time, we used a sort of inverted Disillusionment charm to make the see through barrier opaque, displaying an image of a packed but studentless storage room. It was quite ingenious really, and considering Slughorn had no class after ours, there was a good chance they could be in there until tomorrow, or at least that’s what I thought.   
  
  
  
After class, I was still on such an adrenaline rush that I really just wanted to run around and squeal in delight, thrilled at our success. It was that state of mind that led me to the rash decision to go gallivanting around the castle in a sort of victory lap. I was on the seventh floor in a wing I wasn’t extremely familiar with when I began to hear footsteps and feel like I was being followed. I tried to navigate myself away from the sound I heard, but that only led me straight into a dead ended hallway that looked like no one had set foot in it in years. Surprised at the quickness of my breath and the strength of the beat of my heart I turned to face my stalker only to find Sirius standing in the entrance to the hallway, a stoic and unreadable expression on his face.  
  
   
  
Confusion dominated my thoughts at first, “How did you get out?” I asked frowning.  
  
   
  
He smirked devilishly. “I’m a marauder love. You seem to have forgotten that.” His voice was an alluringly gruff, low rumble.  
  
   
  
His gaze was intense and I could feel the tension thick in the air. Attempting to alleviate some of it I half smiled, “Come to punish me then?” I asked somewhat anxious. My smile faded away altogether when I didn’t get a response, rather his smirk widened evilly and he began approaching me, his posture solemn and resolute while his gaze threatened to set my skin ablaze. I was beginning to become worried.   
  
   
  
With the expression on his face there was no telling what he might try. “Sirius…” I said as I took steps backwards trying to lengthen the distance between us. “You’re making me nervous. What are you on about?” I jumped slightly when my back hit the cold stonewall. He didn’t stop his advance until his body was an inch from my own causing my skin to tingle in the anticipation of his touch.  
  
   
  
I closed my eyes, trying to gain some composure and control my breathing, which ways now coming out in breathless pants. When I opened them, it was to find a self-assured smirk lighting up his face with pleasure. His voice was a low rumble, his tone smooth and confident, “I’m only trying to finish what you’ve started Lacey.”  
  
   
  
I didn’t get the chance to ponder if he was referring to finishing the prank war or what, because it was as if all my thoughts and functions were immobilized by his proximity. When his lips crashed down on mine in a rough blissfulness, a hunger that was immensely invigorating erupted within the both of us.   
  
   
  
I pressed my body up against his arching my back, attempting to get as close as humanly possible. I needed to feel all of him, and the intensity of his grip on me told me he felt similarly. I tangled my fingers in his hair and savaged his lips with my own, zealously biting his lip while he issued small thrilling moans and put his whole weight deliciously against me.   
  
   
  
He pulled away slightly to trail kisses down my neck and to my sternum, and then back up to my ear where he gently but alluringly tugged on my earlobe with his lips, earning sighs of pleasure for his efforts. I extended my neck and barred it for him as I lifted a leg to wrap around him and draw him into me. The movement spurned another wave of lust within him, for he moved his hands from my lower back to my rear and swiftly lifted me off the ground.   
  
   
  
His hands dug deep into my flesh, and I yelped slightly wrapping my legs around him, my back again being pushed up against the wall forcefully. The noise caused him to smile against my lips and let out a sultry chuckle. I took the chance to breath while laying kisses on his neck and attempting to un-tuck his shirt.  “You’re ruddy good at distracting me. That little demure act was damn sexy, but I was beginning to miss the suggestive remarks.” He growled irresistibly, laughter in his voice.   
  
   
  
I smiled against the skin of his neck then met his eye momentarily, both of us breathing hard, “It was hard to hold back the comments, but I could tell it had you confused.” I said breathlessly a mischievous look in my gaze as I began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He only laughed and captured my lips once again; I vigorously returned his appeal for more still trying to undo all his buttons. I pulled away upon my success to drink in the appearance of his body.  
  
   
  
I gazed amazed at the tone of his muscles running my hands over his chest and down his stomach. I could feel him shudder underneath my touch and before I really knew what was happening, he let me down and grabbed me swiftly by the hand. He was leading me down the corridor, “C’mon.” he said, “Just trust me.”  
  
   
  
I was slightly confused for a moment when he led me back and forth three times in front of a stretch of nearby wall, but when a door appeared I grinned and walked towards it dropping his hand. I turned my back to the door and pushed it open with my foot, beckoning him towards me with my eyes while I undid a button on my shirt seductively. His breath was becoming ragged and he had a carnal look in his eye.  
  
   
  
He was there in an instant, lifting me off the ground again practically tackling me. His lips were like a magnet for my own as he carried me into the room and over to the only couch. He fell backwards onto it with me on top straddling him. I was surprised when he broke away momentarily, but I was extremely aroused to see him fumble at the buttons of my shirt. Even more so as I observed his frustration mounting to the point that he simply ripped the garment off of me.   
  
   
  
His eyes drank in the view hungrily before he buried his head in between my breasts, kissing ravenously while his fingers grabbed handfuls of my derriere only to travel down to either of my thighs, reaching underneath the hem of my skirt. He worked his mouth up to my neck before catching my breathless lips in a chaste meaningful kiss. His eyes met mine as we broke away. I ran my hand down his jaw, my thumb tracing over her lips trying to imprint their feel into my mind forever.  
  
His eyes bored into mine, an indescribably powerful look there threatening to overwhelm me.   
  
   
  
His hands on my skin felt like ecstacy and when he sat forward and leaned towards me to reached around and undo the clasp of my bra, I trembled with pleasure and felt his deep husky chuckle in the crook of my neck as response. He threw my bra to the floor without a thought and sat back to take in the view of my supple skin, his large calloused hands running over my breasts and pulling me closer to him while I basked in the electric sensation of his touch.   
  
   
  
I couldn’t help myself as I reached for his belt buckle, his eyes whipped to mine, questioning if I knew what I was doing. I didn’t, but in that moment I wanted him, all of him, more than anything. When I didn’t stop at his caution, his intensity came back at an unreal level. He roughly captured my lips while picking me up again only to lay me down on the couch with him hovering above me. He was working at the buttons on my skirt, and before I knew it his fingers were longingly tracing the seam of my underwear where they ran over my hip. His eyes asked a final permission; I granted it willingly.  
  
   
  
It was a night I would never forget in all my years. That night and that moment ruined me. I had always been the lighthearted harmless flirt, but I didn’t leave that room the same person.   
  
   
  
My plan to have fun my last year at Hogwarts had definitely succeeded. Except that in initiating the prank war I had begun something I was incapable of finishing. The ecstasy that Sirius and I shared that night was undeniable, and it also left me in a more vulnerable state than I’d ever thought possible; he was always on my mind. The pressure of his lips on my own, the urgency of his hands, and the feel of his skin underneath my fingertips, it all haunted me in a way that I knew he got the last laugh. He truly was a master marauder. He was now my distraction. 


End file.
